BCAA road test finds major differences in EV charging speeds, efficiency

A BCAA and CAA road test found significant differences in charging performance, energy efficiency and operating costs among electric vehicles, despite all models completing the same 230-kilometre route without recharging.

The 2026 EV Circuit Road Test evaluated 22 EVs on a route from Blue Mountain, Ont., to Vaughan, Ont. BCAA said every vehicle completed the trip, including the model with the shortest advertised range, while using an average of 40 per cent of its battery capacity.

Energy consumption ranged from 11.43 kWh per 100 kilometres for the Toyota bZ to 28.91 kWh per 100 kilometres for the Lucid Gravity. During a standardized 15-minute fast-charging session, vehicles added an average of 110 kilometres of displayed range, with results ranging from 58 kilometres for the Lucid Air to 178 kilometres for the Lucid Gravity.

The association said the vehicles tested consumed about 40 per cent less energy on average than those evaluated during its 2025 winter EV study, demonstrating the impact of temperature on EV performance.

BCAA said the findings suggest charging speed, efficiency and charging costs are becoming key factors for consumers as vehicle range continues to improve.

“For many of today’s EVs, the question is becoming less about whether you can complete a trip and more about how efficiently you can make it, where you will charge, how long charging will take, and what it will cost,” said Shawn Pettipas, director of corporate purpose at BCAA.

For ASW, I’d probably run this under EVs first and Vehicle Technology second. The headline angle I’d push is the charging and efficiency differences, not the fact that all vehicles completed the route.